Yoga for whiplash – and what to do after a car accident.

My best friend just had a terrible car accident and here are some of the sites and research we explored to help him address his injuries (in addition to seeing the dr, chiro, acup, masseuse, etc.) WHAT HAPPENED: a detailed explanation and how you can address it: http://members.chello.nl/w.poelje/whiplash.htm

Lie on the floor with a small roll under your neck, and your knees on the bolster – do so every 3 hrs for 3-7 days.

Float in pool – eventually you can start walking in pool – walking against resistance very good and swimming in deep end is FAB for core and heart (cardio work twice as effective done with your arms because it works your lungs so hard).

Also lie with your legs up on a chair and a small roll under your neck, and your arms splayed out, pulling shoulder blades in and under – opens the shoulders.

And see an Alexander or Feldenkreis teacher for at least 3-4 lessons to get your skeleton, soft tissue, muscles, and your autonomic nervous system (in shock) relaxed and positioned normally.

I went for my regular class, an hour after getting rear-ended, and I felt much more like myself when I left the session. She (Lana Spraker in Santa Monica) had me lie down and she gently pressed my skeleton and flesh back into position over a 45 minute period… magical.

YOUR car ins should cover the first $5k of your med expenses – call and ask them how much they do.

LAWYER: You also need a lawyer Ask the Iyengar folks and your masseuse for recommendations Know that the lawyer will make VERY little contact and you will do all the paperwork prep Don’t talk to them about your “alternative” therapy – It’s unlikely they believe in it DO show your salary history Keep a detailed diary of how you feel and what drs you see, and how it improves/worsens your symptoms. Write down all the details of the accident and do google overheads of the accident location, and mark where you were, how fast driving, and were the other party was, and driving speed and direction. It’s best to photography the scene at the time with your phone…

Do get x-rays – if you slammed your feet on the brakes, do the hips as well as the neck. Using your feet to stop your body sends the primary impact to your hips and can eliminate the “space” there.